Road shaping and finishing machine.



M. MITCHELL.

ROAD SHAPING AND FINISHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IAN-2.1914.

BY MALA WM ATTYs.

Patented Mu l 4,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I- M. MITCHELL.

ROAD SHAPING AND. FINISHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IVAN-2. 1914Patented Mayl l, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- IVI. MITCHELL.

ROAD SHAPING AND FINISHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN-2.19M.

L fifififizu Patented MayM, 1918.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES MELVIN MITCHELL, OF PEORIA,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, aresident of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Road Shaping and FinishingMachines, of which the following is a specification. I This inventionhas reference to a road shaping and finishing machine, and has for itsobject the production of a machine which is adapted to simultaneouslyscrape the surface of the road on the opposite sides of the crown, andbetween the crown of the road and the-ditches alongside thereof,removing the humps and delivering the dirt obtained therefrom into thehollows and toward the crown of the road, and then compressing ormaking-the crown compact, by passing over the crown a roller travelingin the wake of the scraping devices.

The invention has for a further object to construct a machine of thecharacter referred to, which may be used to scrape both sides of theroad alike, throwing the dirt toward the center, and roll the crown tomake itcom- "pactyor should one or both ditches need deepening orcleaning out, said scraping devices may be arranged to dig into or cleanout such ditches, bringing the dirt toward the center or crown of theroad, and the crown of the road packed solidly by the roller travelingin the wake of the scraping devices.

The invention has for a further object to provide'a road shaping andfinishing ma chine, not only capable of working across the full width ofthe road at one operation, whereby both sides of the road aresimultaneously scraped, and the crown of the road compressed by theaction of the roller, but also to provide a machine which is adjustableto the various widths of roads, and wherein the operative and supportingparts are foldable, so that the machine will pass over or through thevery narrowest road bridges now in use.

The invention has a further object to provide a road scraping andfinishing machine, having a pair of scraping devices, making it possibleto scrape both sides of the road at once, throwing the dirt toward thecenter Specification of Letters Patent.

ILLINOIS.

ROAD SHAPING AND FINISHING MACHINE.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application filed January 2, 1914. Serial No. 809,820.

or crown of the road, thereby shaping and smoothing the road; andsimultaneously with such action, compressing and packing the crown bymeans of a roller, said roller being preferably concave so as to leavethe crown of the road convex and sloping to the ditches on either sidethereof.

The invention has for a further object to construct a machine of thecharacter referred to, which may be used to scrape both sides of theroad alike, throwing the dirt toward the center, at the same timeopening and cutting the ditches and bringing the dirt in at the oneoperation, having an adjustable following board attached to the rear ofthe cutting bars, for the purpose of packing the dirt between theditches and the crown of the road, and a roller traveling in the rear ofthe blades at the crown of the road to make it compact.

' The invention has for a further object, the provision of a machine ofthe character referred to, having two cutting or scraping arms Xtendingrearwardly and attached to a frame so that they may be raised or loweredindependently of each other for the purpose of scraping or cutting theroad at any required depth, said blades also having means whereby theymay be automatically locked, so as to gage the cut or may be released,so that the blades may float, and also so arranged as to be capable ofbeing raised a considerable distance from the ground in or der todepress the outer ends of the blades so as to cut with the ends of theblades, as

is necessary in cleaning out deep ditches.

A still further object of the invention, is generally, to improve uponthe class of machines for shaping and finishing roads, so as to increasetheir utility, durability and efficiency.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear, my invention consists in the combination,construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and thensought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and which shows merely forthe purpose of illustrative disclosure a preferred embodiment of myinven i n, it b ing u d rs o d that vari us changes may be made inpractice within the scope oftheiclaims, without digressing from myinventive idea.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan View on a greatlyreduced scale, ofmy road shaping and finishing machine, the dotted vlines showing afolded position of one of the cutting or scraping blades;

" Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical crosssection through one of the scraping or cuttingblades;

Fig. 41 is a detail view ofrthewmanner of mounting andconnecting-ithe-rear ends of the cutting or scraping blades;

Fig.5 5 is a top plan view of thetwo frames, parts-being broken'away tofacilitate the'disclosure;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken substantially, online 66 ofFig. 5;

Figs? and 8 are detail views of the connection between one of the linksand the cutting or scraping blade;

Figs. 9 and 10 are views in plan and side elevation, respectively,of-the locking means for certain of the pinions;

Fig. 11 is a-top plan view 'ofthe sliding frame -and connections forpositioning the cutting or scraping blades; Fig. 12 isa verticalsection, taken substantially online12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of thelsame,

parts being brokenaway, 'to facilitate disclosure;

Figs. let and 15 are' views in top plan and sideelevation, respectively,of the operating and locking means therefor, for regulating the positionof the scraping or cutting blades;

Figs. 16 and 17 are views in side elevation and top plan, respectively,of the pivotal connection between the links which connect each scrapingor cutting blade with The means for cutting and cleaning the ditches arereadily removable so that the machine wlll serveonly as a road-shapingand finishing machme. This machine is capable of adjustment so as tooperate under various working conditions and ineludes 'ditch cuttingmeans, road scraping and smoothing means, means for scraping the crownofthe road and roller for packing the crownfi The frame isadapted to beconnected to the draft wlthout the necessity of using a truck and theroller provides means whereby the device may be supported and steered.

-Tl1e machine as preferably constructed according to my invention,includes What I .termthe main frame 1 v. and, the inneriframe 2,;whichframes are movableirelative to each other so as to provide for guidingorsteering the machine. Mounted within the inner frameis'theelongated-reach bar 3 which is shown intheiform of an I-beam,having the small supporting or caster wheel 4 1n front and the means 5for connection with tion of this inner frame-2 and includes the.

side -niembers 11. in the form' of channel'- irons and .the end members12 and 13in the form of spaced angle-irons, the front. angle-'lPO111OTl.t-l1e tOp of saidroller carryingf-rame 1,beingwformedgon-the; arcofa curve and provided with a flra ck ltron' itsinner side. A pinion. 15 is :mounted' on .the end of-ithe shaft 16suitably .ijournaled on the inner frame, so i that :when the. shaft 16is rotated manuallyubymeans :of-rthe hand Wheel 17,

the main or-roller carrying frame 1 will be turned relative to saidinner :f'rame'2, a suitable pivotal "@CODIIBCUOII 'belng .zprovided'therebetween. K 5 Mounted in said 1111161" frame 2- and on:- oppositesides of s the rear portion of the reach bar 3,-isthe two-part .box orcasing-18 which is ,pivotally connected .-to

the transverse .members *19 of said amain or roller carrying frame1,-:by means of'the studs orwpins 2O. Aiportion'r of: the reachbar 3:extends throughthis casing and is slidable therein, .pbeing,providedwiththe vrack :bar .21 :with which the pinion -22 meshes, saidpinion being mounted-Vina .soeketor recess in saidetwo1part :box or cas---ing 18- and securedto. shaft 23-,"which isloperated .manually bythe-rha=ndle 2 1.; It is robviousathatzby rotating the pinion 22,-,thereach bar will bemoved alongitudinallyfor purposes to behereinafter.described.

:"Itis to besnoted thatrbracing rods ortlinks 181; connect the box orcasing- '18- with "the -1=nner frame, extending as'rshowr'r from thecornersthereof tothe rear: transverse member 9: and-forward transversemember 10,: so that the box '01"CLSiI1gI18; is: held .securely in saidinner frame.

' Suitable brace and supportingimembers 25 extend from said .main;orroller carrying :frame 1 to-the journal or {bearing members v25 inwhich-the axle 26of the roller:27 is -journaledl= This rollerzis ofgeneralrconcave conformation, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, butattention is called to the fact that at each end, a portion of itssurface is flat, as at 27. By operating the pinion 15, it is understoodthat the main or roller carrying frame 1 will be rotated relative to theinner frame 2, and the roller correspondingly moved so as to steer orguide the machine, as desired.

Suitably supported in the inner frame are the vertically extendingsustaining rods or members 28 which are suitably braced so as to bestrong enough to support the cutting or scraping blades and themechanism for raising and lowering said blades. These cut ting andscraping blades .29 include the I- beams 30 having the concaved cuttingand scraping members 31 secured to the inner side thereof. The rear endsof these cutting or scraping blades are connected to said sustainingrods 28 so as to be raised andlowered thereon, having the bracketmembers 32 se cured thereto, the upper and rear end of which is provldedwith the slot or aperture 33, the latter being flared longitudinally soas to permit the cutting or scraping blades to pivot on said sustainingrods, the connect ing member or bar 341 being secured to the lower endsof'the sustaining rods and forming'the lower stop for said bracketmembers A lifting bar '35 is pivotally connected to the end of eachbracket 32, which lifting bar extends upwardly along the sustaining rodand has the rack 36 secured to its upper portion. This rack bar 36 isadapted to be moved vertically up and down by means of the pinion 37which engages therewith, said pinion being secured "to stud shaft38"suitably journaled in the bracket or securing member 39, which passesaround the sustaining rod 28 in the form of a loop 39 being held inposition by the rings, sleeves or flange-s40. The locking cog wheel 41is also secured on said shaft 38, the dog or pawl 12 being adapted toengage and lock the same, this dog or pawl being slidable in guidemembers 4L3 on the bracket or securing member 39 and having the spring44: engaging a shoulder i5 and one of the guides i3 so as to normallyhold the dog in engagement with one of the notches on said cog wheel 41.The dog l2 may be withdrawn by means of the handle l6, which has ashoulder 47 adapted to engage the end 48 of the securing member orbracket when the dog is withdrawn and the handle turned as indicated indotted lines in'Fig. ll. The hand wheel 49 is connected to said studshaft 38 so as to operate the pinion to move the rack 36 and link so asto adjust. the rear end of the cutting or scraping blades. It is obviousthat the blades may be adjusted in any position and locked therein, ormay be'allowed to move up and down freely or float. Of course thisadjustment merely applies to the rear end of the cutting or scrapingblades.

The front portion of each blade is adjusted by means of the flexiblerope or cable 50, which runs over pulleys or sheaves 51 and 52 and theguide 53 on sustaining rod 28 to the Windlass or drum 54, the pulley orsheave 51 being pivotally connected as at to the cutting or scrapingblade and the pulley or sheave 52 and the end of the flexible rope orcable being connected to the crane 56, the guide or supporting stay 57being connected to the end thereof and to the top of the sustaining rod28. The parts are duplicated for each blade 29.

The cutting or scraping blades may be moved on their rear ends as apivot toward and from the reach bar 3. The means for providing thismovement includes a stationary rack 58 on the upper side of the reachbar and the sliding carriage 59 having a suitable link' connection withthe front end portions of said cutting or scraping blades and having agear connection with said rack 58, whereby when the gear connection isoperated, the carriage will be moved longitudinally on said reach bar tovary the position of the cutting or scraping blades. The carriage isformed of the two side members 60 having spaced rollers 61 positionedtherebetween, and adapted to run on the top and bottom edges of theflanges of the reach bar 3. A short shaft 62 is journaled between saidside plates 60 and has securedthereto, the worm wheel 6 1. The worm 65on the end of the telescopic rod 66 meshes with said worm wheel 64 sothat when the handle 67 is rotated, said carriage will be moved, due toits gear 63 meshing with the stationary rack 58. The link connectionpreviously mentioned includes the links 68 pivotally connected on eachside of the carriage, the links 69 pivotally connected to the ends ofsaidlinks 68 and to the end portions of the cutting'or scraping bladesand the links 70' pivotally connected to said reach bar 3, and the endsof said links 68 and 69, the connec tions of the three links to eachother, being shown in detail in Figs. 16 and 17. Link 68 terminates inthe larger yoke 71, link 69 terminates in the smaller yoke 72 and thelink 70 terminates in the extended portion or sleeve 7 3, all beingapertured to receive thebolt or pin 7-4, which thus provides a pivotalconnection. From a consideration of Fig. 1, it is seen that uponmovement of the carriage 59, the cutting or scraping blades will bemoved inwardly or outwardly, du to the link connection, just described.

In order to permit the requisite movement between each link 69 and thecutting or scraping blades, I provide the particular 40 i supportingbar. This construction provides -69 may move horizontally relative tothe cutting and scraping blade and the socket joint provides forrelative vertical movement.

In order to lock the two frames against 2 relative movement after theyhave been adjusted and in order to lock the reach bar 3 against movementafter it has been adjusted relative to the main or inner frame, Iprovide the cog or ratchet wheels 79 on the .shafts 16 and 23 ndhave thelocking'dogs or pawls 80 pivotallymounted as'at 81, and having theresilient means for holding said dogs or pawls in engagement 'with thenotches in the cog or ratchet Wheels 79.

It is to be understood that a similar means is utilized to lock thepinion 15 against rotation.

In order to open, cut and clean the ditches and bring the dirt therefromto the center f he road, I provide the disk blades 83,

having the supporting bar 84 which is pivotally mounted on the end ofthe cutting and scraping blades, as at 85, this securing means beingreadily removable. The end of this supporting bar 84: is provided with agear segment 86 which meshes with the worm 87 on shaft 88 having themanually operating crank 89. A in and slot connection 90 is alsoprovided for assisting in holding the means whereby the disk plate maybe adju s'ted relative to the nd of the cutting and scraping blades, andit is to be understood that thesedisk plates are removable, soas not tointerfere with the use of the machine in leveling and maintaining theroads.

I also provide means for cuttin away the crown of the road when it istoo hlgh, in the form' of an additional scraping blade 91, whichscraping blade is pivotally connected s at 92, to the rear end of one ofsaid cutting or scraping blades 29. To the other end of said additionalscraping blade is attached a means for raising and i lowering the samefor the purpose of adjustment, which means includes the link 93,pivotally connected to the operating lever 94.

A removable bolt or pin 94is used to lock the inner frame 2 andreach-bar 3 against relative movement, thereby relieving the other partsof'any undue strain, when they may be used in a Set or fixed position.Of course the bolt or pin must be removed on the occasion of anyadjustment.

cutting and cleanlng. justment of the rear ends of these blades in-' -Myinvention also includes -means for smoothing the surface of the roadafter the cutting and scraping action. ,This means takes the form of theextended'member 95, substantially right angled in cross-section,

bod in m invention erforms man 'funca Y y tions necessary for. theprovision of a proper'road surface and ditches. able and adjustablemeans is provided for cutting andcleaning the ditches on the sides ofthe road, these means being attached to the forward ends of the cuttingand scraping members which have means not only for:

regulating and adjusting their position relative to the surface, butalso means for adjusting their rear ends so as toposition their frontends for proper operation in ditch The means for adcludes locking meanswhich gages the cut and which may be released so-that the cutting andscraping blades may float. The frame construction supported on theroller provides simplemeans for guidin the machine so as to follow inthe wa eof thetractor especially in turning corners or around in narrowplaces. The adjustable following board provides means for scraping thecrown of the road, if desired. These and other features render mymachine a material improvement in this art.

Attention is particularly called to the fact that there is no necessityfor providing trucks for supporting and steerin this machine, the frontend beino connected directly to the tractor or other drawing means and.

the rear. end being supported on the roller. The frame is so constructedthat the roller may be swung as desired, so as to make the mechanismfollow in the wake of the engine. Also in turning or backing up themachine is readily steered so as to turn in the very short spaces.

What'I claim is 1. In a road shaping and finishing machine, incombination, a supporting frame, a pair of scraping members, saidmembers pivotally supported at their rear ends at points adjacent eachother, and capable of being swung outwardly, diverging from theirpivotal points, an additional scraping member supported. at the rear ofsaid mem bers and at an anglerelative to said frame, said additionalscraping member being pivotallyconnected to. one of said first meneRemovwith its vertical portion 96 adjustably se-v tioned scrapingmembers, means connected additional scraping member for compressing thecrown of the road.

2. In combination, a frame, a roller supporting said frame, a reach barassociated with said frame and positioned centrally thereof andextending forwardly therefrom a suitable distance, vertically arrangedsupports, scraping members having a pivotal connection at or near oneend with said supports, a member slidable on said reach bar, linkconnections between said slidable member, said reach bar and saidscraping members, said link connections each including a link pivotallyconnected to said slidable member, a link pivotally connected to saidreach bar in front of said sliding member and a link pivotally connectedto said scraping member so as to move both vertically and horizontallyrelative thereto, and means for moving said sliding member on said reachbar and thereby swing said scraping members out and in, as desired.

3. In a mechanism of the character described and in combination, aframe, a reach bar disposed centrally of said frame and extendingforwardly therefrom a suitable distance, said reach bar being movablelongitudinally with respect to said frame, said frame and reach barbeing pivotally connected so as to be movable relative to each other, aroller supporting said frame, a pair of scraping members pivotallysupported at their rear ends, said pivotal connection permitting saidmembers to swing out and in, as may be desired and raised or lowered forthe purpose of changing the inclination of said members and the positionof the forward ends, a link member connected to the rear end of each ofsaid scraping members having a rack thereon, a gear meshing with saidrack and means for rotating said gear so as to raise and lower saidscraping members, a member slidably arranged on the forward end of saidreach bar, link connections between said sliding member and each of saidscraping members, and means for moving said sliding member on the reachbar for the purpose of swinging said scraping members, out and in.

4. In a mechanism of the character described and in combination, a frameincluding a reach bar movable in relation thereto, cutting and scrapingmembers pivotally connected to said frame at their rear ends, said reachbar having a rack provided on its forward portion, a sliding membermounted to move on said reach bar, link connections between said slidingmember, said reach bar and the free end portions of said cuttingmembers, said sliding member including spaced plates on opposite sidesof said reach bar having rollers journaled therebetween, adapted toengage said reach bar, a shaft journaled between said spaced plates, agear on said shaft meshing with said rack on said reach bar, and meansfor operating said gear whereby said cutting and scraping members willbe adjusted at 'difierent angular positions relative to said frame.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, and in combination, aframe including a reach bar movable in relation thereto, cutting andscraping members pivotally connected to said frame at their rear ends,said reach bar having a rack provided on its forward portion, a slidingmember mounted to move on said reach bar, link connections between saidsliding member said reach bar and the free end portions of said cuttingmembers, said sliding member including spaced plates on opposite sidesof said reach bar having rollers journaled therebetween, adapted toengage said reach bar, a shaft journaled between said spaced plates, agear on said shaft meshing with said rack on said reach bar, means foroperating said gear whereby said cutting and scraping members will beadjusted at different angular positions relative to said frame, andmeans for raising and lowering said cutting and scraping members.

6. In a mechanism of the character described and in combination, a frameincluding a reach bar movable in relation thereto, cutting and scrapingmembers pivotally connected to said frame at their rear ends, said reachbar having a rack provided'on its forward portion, a sliding membermounted to move on said reach bar, link connections between said slidingmember, said reach bar and the. free end portions of said cuttingmembers, said sliding member including spaced plates on opposite sidesof said reach bar having rollers journaled therebetween, adapted toengage said reach bar, a shaft j ournaled between said spaced plates, agear on said shaft meshing with said rack on said reach bar, means foroperating said gear whereby said cutting and scraping members will beadjusted at different angular positions relative to said frame, means onthe outer ends of said cutting and scraping members for cutting andcleaning ditches at the sides of the road, means for raising andlowering the rear ends of said cutting and scraping members, whereby thedepth to which said ditch cutting members cut, may be adjusted.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, and in combination, aframe, cutting and scraping members pivotally and slidably connected attheir rear ends to said frame, means for moving the outer ends of saidcutting and scraping members to various positions relative to saidframe,

. .-r I v means vfor ra sing and lowering the rear ends of sa1d cuttlngand scraping members,

i said means including a rack member, a gear meshing with said rackmember, means for [operating said gear, means for locking said "parts inposition, said locking means being releasable so that said cutting andscraping members may float or may be locked to gage the depth of thecut.

.' said casing, an operating shaft having a pinion shaft positionedwithin said casing in "engagement with the rack on the reach bar .soasto move said reach bar longitudinally relative to saidinner frame,means for mov ing said main frame and said inner frame relative to eachother about the pivotal point provided by the connection of said casingwithsaid main frame.

9. In a mechanism of the character described and in combination, a mainframe, "30" v frame having an elongated reach bar movable longitudinallyrelative thereto, a rack ,being provided on the rear portion of said aroller supporting said-frame, an inner reach bar, a casing pivotallymounted in said main frame and connected to said inner frame, said reachbar extending through said casing, an operating shaft having a pinionshaftpositioned wlthin said casing in engagement with the rack on thereach bar I so as to move said reach bar longitudinally Witnessesrelative to said inner frame, means for mmscribed, and in combination, aframe, a

reach bar extending'forwardly therefrom, said frame and reach bar beingpivotally "connected so as to be movable relative to 'each other, aroller'supportin'g said frame, "a pair of scraping members 'pivotallysupported attheir rear ends, said pivotal connection perm1tt1ng'sa1dscraping members to swing out and in and to be raised and lowered forthe purpose of changing the inlclination of said scrapingmembers and thepositlon ,of their forward endsya member slidably arranged on theforward portion of said reach bar, link connections between 'saldslidlng member, said reach bar and said scraping members, said linkconnections ineluding a link pivotally connected to said sliding member,another link pivotally connected to said reach bar and a third linkpivot'ally connected to eacho-f said scraping members so as to permitboth a vertical and horizontal movement, said links being pivotallyconnected together at a point between said reach bar, and said scrapingmembers,

and means for moving said sliding member on said reach bar to swing saidscraping members out and in.' r

MELVIN MITCHELL.

GEORGE T, BEAN, J. M. ANDE SON.

can" of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addre 's sing'the bomilflssioner'bf fatenh,

Washington; Di 0;

